Today I write my closing RV travel blog. I don’t want to write about our daily lives with minimal travels. Bob & I sold our motorhome 1 ½ years ago. We realized that The Beast had turned 10 years old and was being used less and less by us after spending more than 12 years living in her full-time. We decided to let her start her new life while she was beautiful, but aging. We still miss her, but do not miss the increasing maintenance and parts replacement issues she faced as she aged. She made travel planning easy.
Home for 10 years – how lucky are we … so many experiences in this house.
Bob and I are also becoming settled into the RV Resort community (Voyager) we discovered in Tucson in 2014. We never run out of things to do and new activities to discover. Our on-going love is hiking the many Arizona mountains and deserts. I am learning to play Mahjong this summer so that I can participate in groups with my friends. Bob is finding places to share his love for music. Tucson has a robust theater community we have begun to explore. The University of Arizona athletic teams are exciting and we are currently season ticket holders for the Women’s Basketball team and the Volleyball team. We love the community of these teams and fans.
Our Tumamoc Hill Challenge looking over Tucson…keeps our fitness real
This summer we loaded up our SUV with our stuff, and our cat, and drove to Massachusetts for the summer. My 96-year-old Mom is here as are many friends and family. We have found that Airbnb’s are a comfy compromise to RV-ing. Downsizing while we were full-time RV-ers became a way of life, so it has been an easy adjustment to traveling light. (But we still over pack.)
Did we use it all? Probably not …Serenity snoozes away on travel days like a real world travelerSitting on Mom’s front porch … a porch filled with decades of memories
For several reasons we are between bicycles, but we expect to have them back in our lives. Bicycling on the local roads has become more challenging in the last 10 years with more distracted/angry drivers on the roads. We prefer bike paths these days (which have their own challenges). So many changes in our lives the last two years….But when we think back to 2010 when we decided to bicycle across the country, we never knew how much our lives would change because of that experience. We have met so many people, made so many new friends, and have seen just a slice of what this beautiful country offers us all. One decision can change the rest of your life….so ”Just do it!”
No matter where we are we find that it is important to demonstrate how important our freedoms are.I need to pay attention to the rights we are slowly losing
Thank you for traveling with us. We so enjoyed sharing our experiences with you all. And please … share your comments and your own travel experiences and ideas.
The places you go … the things we learn …Looking over the City of Grenfield, Massahusetts from Poet’s Seat Tower
Driving across the farm belt of Indiana and Ohio is a bit boring … if not for a good story
Before we left Indiana the other morning, we had a message from our Euclid, Ohio Airbnb host that the power was out in his property for two days and there was no guarantee when it would be restored. (I looked today and many towns in the greater Cleveland area may be without power for another week.) So … our departure was delayed while we rerouted our trip a bit south where we found another home to stay in. We were hoping we could change our route enough to get an Airbnb for our last night where we had a hotel booked in Utica, New York. Our new Airbnb Thursday night was in Jackson Center Pennsylvania (off I-79).
Jackson Center Pennsylvania had beautiful very tidy farms
Our house for the night was a very clean vintage 1960’s house where I expected to find a mom or grandma …well done and comfortable
A beautiful country road … and evening for a walk
Since we were late getting on the road, we decided to look at the Friday travel options once we arrived in Jackson Center Pennsylvania for the night. We were glad we waited. We have friends currently enroute from Connecticut to Tucson who were traveling through southern Pennsylvania Thursday in driving rain. Then, we talked to a friend in Massachusetts who informed us about Hurricane Debby and her route up the east coast. We spent a couple of hours looking at weather maps and searching for a different place to stay.
Our decision … head north through Buffalo as the rain was lighter to the north and west. Keep our reservation in Utica at the hotel as most sites were “not available”. (There is a big Motocross race in the area and horse racing at Saratoga has begun.)
There was a light rain as we left Jackson Center. The rain turned heavy as we got on I-90 west of Buffalo. There were places that it was also very foggy. Bob did an awesome job of driving us through the poor visibility and funky drivers. Fortunately, traffic was fairly light most of the day. Maybe 15 miles from Utica, the rain let up and the sun was actually peeking out as we checked into our hotel.
There are now eating facilities here so we found a restaurant to walk to … leaving Serenity on her own (now that we know the hotel hiding places for cats … we are comfortable doing that.) Saturday, we have a less than 4-hour drive to our first Massachusetts destination.
Jackson Center has several Amish communities … it is an unexpected sight for us when we see carriages go by … (several did)
It was funny to wake up to a cloudy day this morning in Lebanon, Missouri. We have become used to Southern Arizona blue and sunny skies day after day. Again, we slept long and easy. Serenity explored the house in between naps with us and was anxious for our day to begin.
Serenity watching the departure activities in Missouri this morning
Our drive took us across Missouri on I-44 and then to I-55 after St Louis and onto I-70. We did see the St Louis arches but very briefly as there are so many interchanges when you drive through St Louis. After a bit of truck traffic, we realized …oh yeah … we crossed the Mississippi River … into Eastern United States traffic. But, overall, our travel day was smooth. There was not a lot to see other than Missouri rolling hills and farms everywhere.
However, our day was also filled with text and telephone conversations with insurance adjusters who were visiting both our park model and our motorhome to assess storm damage. In addition, we have a buyer interested our motorhome so we were trying to sort out how to proceed long-distance. So … the time flew by.
I figured I would not have much to say this evening … or photos to share …
Tonight, we are staying at a “pet friendly” Best Western Hotel. We could not find an Airbnb that fit our driving day(s) so we decided this should work. Yikes! We have lots of stuff for a hotel room…but we arrived and set-up and then left for a short walk to get some steps and stretch our bodies. We were chuckling because we felt a bit chilly …it was 79ᵒ here!
When we returned to our room Serenity was no where to be found. There really were minimal places to hide. The beds were platforms and there were no cabinets or holes to be seen. We searched and called. No sound. No Serenity. Yes, our door was locked. Yes, it is too heavy for her to open even if it was not secure. The desk attendant came down and did his own look around (extra eyes can be helpful.) … we even lifted the platform beds. Our only thought was someone stole her. When we asked, the desk attendant looked at the two cameras that are in our hallway for the times we were out (used hotel and gas receipts). Although our door was not visible, there was no unusual activity noticed. (Do you think we read too many crime novels?)
Bob was off searching all the hallways and areas … talking with people … I helped intermittently but wanted to be in the room should Serenity miraculously appear. I talked to her like I always do … not a peep (or meow). I had my computer turned on so I had this thought to Google “How can you lose a cat in a hotel room?”
Wow! The first “hit” was from Reddit where there were at least two different people who lost/found their cats in the box springs of hotel beds. I got Bob back to the room to help me remove first the mattress, then tilt the box spring. Sure enough … she was huddled inside the black fabric covering the box spring. We coaxed her out … She seemed scared but we had to walk over to the desk attendant and show her off, and profusely thank him and others around for their support. (Of course, Serenity, is very very shy and was further traumatized by us sharing.) OMG we just couldn’t imagine losing her in a hotel!
Still scared but with her people … where she belongs!
But … here the three of us sit … everyone has had a snack (Bob & I had some wine too!) and at least if she is missing in the morning, we will know where to find her.
I love mural art … this is in downtown Lebanon, Missouri
Well, we were up and, on the road, early (for us) this morning. We made many trips to the car as we try to figure out what we need (what Serenity needs) and what we don’t use on a nightly basis. I brought food so that we could eat what we wanted, when we wanted in the comfort of our “home.” So … the ice chest is our biggest item to haul in and out …but it works great.
The morning was a sunny haze, but there was a nice breeze. We were on the interstate (I-40 & I-44) across Oklahoma, skirting both Oklahoma City and Tulsa so there was not a lot new to see. Cattle, sheep, farms, and a few cities. Other than the city traffic, driving has been pleasant. The roads feel much better with the smaller car, and construction areas have not been an issue. (Of course, width is not the problem it can be in our motorhome)
We landed a bit before 5:00 PM at our Airbnb near the center of Lebanon, Missouri. About 5 minutes from the interstate. Gosh…our Airbnb experience is like night and day. We actually have half of a duplex house today, which is in pristine condition. It is decorated simply and comfortably. (One feels confident that when a glass is picked up, it can be used for your drink immediately…no need to find soap and wash first.) There is a washer and dryer which also includes my favorite wool dryer balls. Perfect! Serenity has several rooms to explore so she is happy too.
“I do speak for the Great Masses of the Mississippi Valley, when I say that we will not submit to the domination of any political party, however much we may love it, that lays the sacrificing hand upon silver and will demonetize it.” Interesting enough I had to use my computer to find who this was … A Congressman Richard Parks Bland (late 19th century)
While Bob settled down to get some paperwork done, I walked to the grocery store downtown to get some milk and fruit. Interesting mix of new and old buildings and businesses. Apparently, tourism keeps the town interesting as we are on the edge of the Ozarks. Train tracks run right through the town center. Some of the major employers here are Tracker Marine, G3 Boats, Lowe Boats, Landau Boats, Osagian Canoes and Detroit Tool Metal Products. Definitely a place we could stay longer and explore (and we know right where to stay too!)
How come some of the most interesting architecture and well-maintained homes are funeral homes?
On that note … we are off to sleep and prepare for our travel day Wednesday … to the Eastern Time Zone!
Hundreds of windmills throughout our ride in Northern New Mexico, across the Texas panhandle and into Oklahoma.
We had a great sleep on the New Mexico plains Sunday night. We then drove east on Interstate 54 through New Mexico. What a lovely quiet road. They are in the process of making the two-lane highway into four lanes so I think that minimized truck traffic. We had lots of trains to watch and we started a new mystery series from a Tucson author. (Becky Masterman). The story keeps us distracted between city traffic.
The temperatures hovered around 100ᵒ but our car is pretty comfortable (I could use some side window shades though, like Serenity gets in the back seat!)
Roger Miller was brought up by an uncle in Erick Oklahoma, during the depression, after his father died when he was a year old.
We arrived for our overnight stop in Erick, Oklahoma which is just over the Texas border. I account some of my crabbiness to losing two time zones in two days….so I was short on sleep and patience Monday evening and could not finish my Blog.
Yup … a work in process … (interesting …but messy) 🙂
Our Airbnb was an old school house on Route 66. Sounded like fun but…let me just say … reality was different. A bouquet of beautiful flowers on the table as you enter, does not make up for dirt and grime … everywhere! But, on the good side the bed was clean and the mattress was comfortable and we both had a great night sleep. Since we are new with Airbnb we must learn to ‘read between the lines.”
The flowers really were beautiful …
It was kind of fun to have chickens in the back yard when we opened the shades. Serenity prowled a good part of the night. I am sure she sensed the several barn cats we spotted.
Many many nooks and crannies for Serenity to explore
I was hoping I could explore the issue of the many dying towns we go through as we drive I-40, which parallels old Route 66. The Interstate highway has left so many closed businesses and empty buildings as after effects.
A smile and a walk (and possibly a glas of wine) makes everything seem better.
I love traveling across the Southwest with the abundance of long, long trains
We are on the road again…but it is different…we are not in The Beast as we have been for the last 10 years…nor are we on our bikes. We got a big ole SUV and are riding in our car… staying at Airbnb’s.
This was the view out our front window Saturday morning … the Beast is on the left. Someone else’s carport is on that house’s roof. Yikes
Before leaving Sunday morning, a microburst did some very severe damage to the resort we are living in Friday evening. Fortunately, we were visiting friends who live about 15 miles away, when the storm came through. Our neighbors said it was the worst storm they had seen in Tucson in the 40 years they have been in the area. We saw weather in our direction so decided to stay and visit a bit longer. When we arrived back home at The Voyager it was chaos. The wind and rain had come whipping through…randomly tearing aluminum sunshades, carports and porches off mobile homes. We were fortunate to have come out of this with a hole in our carport roof and same missing fascia on the front of our house. And the Beast has some scrapes on her rear … all of our damage was from flying aluminum. We have insurance claim numbers and I am sure we will spend time on the phone come Monday morning. Meanwhile …
I-10 East was not too busy today … a fair amount of trucks … and lots of trains.
First travel day is done … we drove 400 miles to Carrizozo, New Mexico. Serentiy is asleep in her kitty condo at our feet and we are looking out on grazing fields and mountains. Beautiful blue skies and big white clouds.
Can’t get enough of the big blue skies and cumulus clouds
We were worried about how our 14-year-old cat, Serenity, would travel so, of course, we made every accommodation for her. She meowed for maybe three minutes as she explored the car. She sat alert in her condo for a few miles. I gave her a bit of food when we stopped which she chowed down. She then transitioned to sleep for most of the remainder of the ride on her deep cat scratch box behind my seat. She explored our house for the evening and seems very content. Yeah!
Serenity was in charge of the second row seating area.
I can hear the wind whistling around this farm house in an open field. I think it will be very soothing tonight.
I feel like I am in KansasOnce we made many trips upstairs with our stuff … we were ready for a walk … lock the gate!And to all a good night…
One of the interesting cacti blooms in our neighborhood. The flowers only lasted a very few days so I never got to share with Bob.
My life is slowly adapting to new time schedules. This June/July when I get up at 6:00 AM the temperature is never cooler than 82ᵒ. And as the sun rises in the sky … the temperature warms accordingly. So, even though I am a slow morning mover … I love my coffee and catch-up time … I try to get a good walk in before 9:30 AM. (I have to fit this in between the 3 mornings a week I volunteer in the resort’s mail room at 7:00 AM and my 3-day a week Strength & Stretch Class at 8:45AM.) I think over the last 10 years we have been “on the road” I adapted to Bob’s middle-of-the-day exercise and hiking schedule. But … summer in Arizona is forcing me to change my spots. And … on the other end of the day … we have to wait until the sun goes down so we can walk at 7:00 PM. Even then, the temperature is still hovering around 100ᵒ. We added Shuffleboard to our evening schedule as well because that starts at 7:00 PM twice a week. I miss those chilly mornings and cool evenings … However, … major side-note …the lack of humidity is remarkable and makes the temperatures very tolerable.
There are many lemon, orange, and grapefruit trees in our neighborhood … we get to see the baby green fruit.
We were delayed leaving Arizona this summer as Bob had to have some surgery. This is now two weeks behind us and we are ready to head to Massachusetts in early August. But…the whole process has prompted some rather significant lifestyle changes for us.
While Bob had his surgery at Banner Medical Center I had the opportunity to walk and explore the Jefferson Park Historic District and small community parks.The current medical center sits on the old polo grounds and University of Arizona ROTC Calvary Training grounds. They were established in 1921 and the last building was razed in 2007. Many interesting photos and history plaques.
The Beast turned 10-years old this year. We realized she was sitting in one spot more often than she was journeying, so maybe this would be a good time find some new adventure-ready owners while she is still in great shape and has value. So…we have been slowly combining our two minimalist households. (It makes me crabby because I have loved our “one in, one out” lifestyle.) Now I have to pick and choose what stays and what goes. Yikes! But the process is nearing the end and hopefully I will be my cheerful self by the time we are back east.
I thought I would try my hand at pruning our Oleander “shrub” – I think maybe I will hire-out the job … I ran out of shade 🙂
Meanwhile … local walking has saved my sanity. I would rather be in the mountains, but with Bob at home … and the heat… it is not prudent. So … I find the shady spots in the neighborhood and still find nature amazing. As I write this, at 5:00 PM it is 106ᵒ, yet the hummingbirds are at our feeder. (and the humidity is 11%). We receive thunderstorm warnings most afternoons, including today, but to date we have had very little rain in our part of southeast Tucson. One day last week, we received a half-inch of rain while the neighborhoods closer to the mountains had over 2”. The sudden hard rains are difficult to imagine. A woman was pulled from the Rillito River wash during a storm two weeks ago and later died from drowning. The power of water. We regularly hear the thunder and might get wind but our weather has been mellow. Oh … I forgot … last week I had a text from a friend out east who asked if we were okay after the tornado near us. The National Weather Service apparently did detect a tornado less than three miles from our home … and we slept through it. Dust and pollution in the air have made some of the very warm days hazy with questionable air quality but…we are not in new England anymore!
This is how palm trees flower and seed. They are actually attractive but very messy …Barrel Cacti are prolific in yards and in the desserts around us. The yellow fruits are loved by javalina (and cows) but I never saw a bloom before.
The heat makes the background mountains hazy. But the plants and flowers are beautiful from all of our winter rain.
I have taken a Blog hiatus as I feel that when we sit in one location, life becomes ordinary. We did become Arizona residents this spring as we own a bit of property here in Tucson. We also have pretty much decided that after 10-years we will be selling The Beast. This has been a very difficult decision because we love roaming in The Beast but we also realize that she sits in one place more often than she roams the last couple of years. She needs to find some new travelers to expand her experiences. We have been slowly transitioning our accumulated life’s treasures to new homes.
Some medical issues are keeping us here in the southwest beyond our usual April departure date and we decided it was a good time to see what we thought of desert summers.
The temperature of 107 degrees has become quite common as we do our errands.
We are experiencing our third full week of daily temperatures over 100ᵒ. We eased into summer heat through the month of May so we find it tolerable but we cannot do our mid-day hiking and are slowly adjusting our activities to evening (Bob is not a morning person.) Getting up early to be outside, and staying up late, means my sleep patterns are all out of whack. (whine…whine…whine…but that is what overtired people do.)
We have been learning to play Shuffleboard under the lights.Beautiful sunset views are a side benefit of playing Shuffleboard in the evening
On June 15th, Monsoon Season began. It will extend through September. We had not seen a spec of rain here in Tucson since April 1st until last Friday when a “Haboob” came through … bringing lots of dust, dirt, and .35” rain. According to meteorologists, Haboobs occur when the wind created by nearby thunderstorms passes over warm dry land, picking up dirt and soil. As we drove from the dentist in Mexico Friday, we thought we were looking at thunderstorms ahead of us … but it was a large dust storm. Fortunately, it was not blinding dust storm but we did have to slow down as we drove up the highway. The storm did bring in scattered rain showers (.35”) but the humidity was over 45% most of the weekend. While we mostly live here with humidity levels about 10%, I found I become much more uncomfortable with the humidity. Moisture makes a HUGE difference in comfort. So, I will withhold judgement on my Tucson summer weather.
Our resort is a quiet ghost town … but I like it that way. We actually have at least 4 other neighbors on our street but we rarely see them. We can walk two miles in the park after 7:00 pm and see only one or two other people (usually in vehicles). The pickleball players are out early morning until about 9 AM when the sun gets too hot. Some golfers are also out early. I will walk around the local neighborhoods until about 10 AM as there are enough shade trees to keep me happy and most days there is a breeze. Some of the residents here have organized morning and evening walks in the air-conditioned ballroom … that gives me memories of the high school dances at the Pittsfield Mass Boys club where everyone walked in a circle. Not a particularly happy time for me. Give me fresh air and nature!
The desert, with minimal shade, is not a welcome place to walk so we have been exploring areas with shade …. Like the Tohono Chul Botanical Gardens and Nature Preserve. Beautiful old buildings and 49 acres of various plants, critters and artwork. This Saguaro Cacti has a will to procreate and live. She has so much to say. (At Tohono Chul Gardens)We play games …. Rummikub is a new game for us …. a mind challengeAnd the sun sets on another day … leaving us to dream of new adventures for tomorrow….
On the road … rest stop in Texas featured this tile art in the Women’s restroom …Fort Davis & a Buffalo Soldier
The first I became aware of the Buffalo Soldiers was when we got lost with some friends last spring looking for a winery in Sierra Vista, Arizona. We ended up at the gate to the Fort Huachuca Army Base. While we gathered our resources, and reoriented our directions, we took the opportunity to read informational placards in the parking area. One sign talked about the Buffalo Soldiers and the small museum there at the fort. Fort Huachuca is the only fort in the United States that housed all of the Buffalo Soldier units. A plan was made to go to the museum on another day. We have not yet been there but that experience began our journey to learn more about these men and women.
There are several stories about how these troops came to be called “Buffalo Soldiers.” You can take your pick as there is no firm information other than it was a title given by the Native Americans (picture from Wikipedia)
Their nappy heads resembled the buffalo’s wooly coat
With their big buffalo skin coats and dark faces, they resembled buffalo
The troops were known to have a fighting, never-give-up determination in their interactions with whoever they came in contact with
Shortly after the Civil War; after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, Congress passed the Army Organization Act. In 1866, six all-Black cavalry and infantry regiments were created which comprised the 9th and 10th Calvary units and the 24th and 25th Infantry (which were consolidated from four regiments). The law required their officers to be white. In particular these units were wanted in the west, on the American frontier, to help control the Native Americans of the Plains, capture cattle rustlers and thieves and protect settlers, stagecoaches, wagon trains and railroad crews along the Western front.
Until it was pointed out to me, I never paid attention to the words that Bob Marley immortalized in the reggae song “Buffalo Soldier,” which highlighted the irony of formerly enslaved people and their descendants “stolen from Africa” taking land from Native Americans for white settlers.
One of the little-known contributions of the Buffalo Soldiers involved eight troops of the 9th Cavalry Regiment and one company of the 24th Infantry Regiment who served in California’s Sierra Nevada as some of the first national park rangers. The soldiers were also the first Southern Border Patrol. (Do some of the hats look familiar?)
Shortly after our Fort Huachuca experience, I came across the book “The Buffalo Soldier” by Chris Bohjalian. Although it was not about the soldiers per se, quotes from and about “real” Buffalo Soldiers pulled this story with all its complexity into an engaging novel. I definitely recommend the book.
And then … while visiting with relatives in Massachusetts this summer I was given an opportunity to see pictures and stories of 700 cavalry with 900 horses and mules from the 10th cavalry regiment of Buffalo Soldiers, marching through Longmeadow Massachusetts in August 1912 from their Fort Ethan Allen Vermont, to maneuvers In Meriden, Connecticut. So … we are meant to pursue the history.
Then, when we were in Houston, Texas last week we were looking for an interesting place to meet some friends. I discovered the Buffalo Soldier National Museum in downtown Houston. The history and stories of these soldiers fill the several rooms. The introductory movie was great but unfortunately the tours are self-guided. We spent a couple of hours going through exhibits which included letters from early soldiers, news stories, photos, gear and other museum artifacts. I recommend the museum but I hope they begin regular docent-led tours which always help give me focus.
National Buffalo Soldier Museum outdoor mural … spanning the last century and a half
Buffalo Soldiers National Museum Houston, TexasThis weekend we are at Fort Davis National Monument in Texas. As we toured the exhibits and watched the introductory film, we discovered that Fort Davis was the home to Buffalo Soldier regiments from 1867 to 1885.
The stories we have learned along the way are powerful. I need to find a way to share … maybe after our visit to Fort Huachuca. The four “Buffalo Soldier” all-black units were disbanded by 1951 after the military was desegregated by President Truman in 1948.
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Hot Springs has some delightful murals that we had fun exploring
I was aware when we planned to go to Hot Springs National Park that it is not your traditional National Park. Hot Springs National Park is part of Central Avenue, the main street of the City of Hot Springs, Arkansas.
The park consists of a row of Bathhouses that sit over natural hot springs which flow from the Hot Springs Mountains.
The hot springs are not volcanic. They are the result of a combination of rock types and fractures that formed along with the Ouachita Mountains. These unique, highly porous folds and faults in the rock help create a route for rainwater to travel deep below the earth’s surface (as far as 8,000 feet below), slowly heating up as it goes. Eventually, the water hits a fault line and moves back up to the surface. The whole process takes about 4,400 years. The average temperature of the water bubbling out is 143° F.
There are 47 separate hot springs coming down from the Ouachita Mountains. The water is safe to drink. A NPS Hydrologist checks and tests water on a weekly basis. The springs, which are grouped at the base of the mountain, discharge more than 500,000 gallons of water a day.
The hot water is supplied to the various bathhouses, with resulting income from concession fees going to the U.S. Treasury. The park also has miles of roads and trails over the local mountains (over 5,000 acres.)
The NPS claims Hot Springs is actually the oldest National Park since it is the oldest park maintained by the National Park Service. (Yellowstone was designated in 1872 as the first National Park in the United States and the world.) “Hot Springs Reservation was initially created by an act of the United States Congress on April 20, 1832, to be preserved for future recreation.”
Interestingly, there is a fair amount of Native American art and motifs in the city. One of the bath houses is the Quapaw bathhouse, “named after an American Indian tribe that once held land in the area.”
When I researched information on the tribe, I discovered that in 1819 the Quapaw Indians ‘ceded” the land around the hot springs to the United States after being forced to a reservation south of the springs. The tribe was removed to Indian Territory in the 1830s.
“After Arkansas became a territory in 1819, the Arkansas Territorial Legislature requested in 1820 that the springs and adjoining mountains be set aside as a federal reservation. Twelve years later, in 1832, the 22nd United States Congress formed the national reservation, granting federal protection of the thermal waters and giving Hot Springs the honor of being the first area to be designated for federal government protection. The Hot Springs Reservation was set aside for public use as a park on June 16, 1880.” Hot Springs was designated as a National Park in 1921 and was the smallest National Park until the St Louis Gateway Arch became a National Park in 2018.
Bathhouses had their hay day through the 1940’s as medicinal and therapeutic destination. People went to find “cures” for arthritis, syphilis, rheumatism, stress and many other ailments.
One had to have a doctor’s order to be able to go to a bathhouse. The Bathhouses were plainer or fancier as their clients could afford. The Fordyce House, where today’s Visitor Center and Museum are was ‘top of the line.’ (In 1938 $0.55/bath) The Fordyce had elegant Music Rooms, Sitting Rooms, Gyms (with equipment very similar to today’s Universal or Nautilus) and progressive walking trails.
The men’s side and the women’s side varied greatly. This is just one of many stained glass ceilings in the men’s area. This one sits over a communal area where the men could mix and drink their water after bathing & sauna
This fountain in the men’s bath hall was where the men got their cups of water which represents DeSoto receiving a drink of water from an Indian maid (Fordyce Bath Hall). Women could also drink spring water … theirs came from a traditional sink.
Still today the National Park Service protects the quality of water. Minerals in the water include silica, calcium, calcium carbonate, magnesium, and potassium. We saw people filling bottles to take with them.
As indoor plumbing became available to the general population, and as antibiotics were discovered, the need to travel to Hot Springs for medical care became obsolete. The cost of remaining open was prohibitive so the bathhouses began shutting down in the early 1960’s. Since 1985, the Buckstaff Bathhouse remains the only bathhouse to offer traditional baths and has been for over 100 years. In 1987 Bathhouse Row was declared a Historic landmark and in2004 the National Park Service began repairing and restoring the six unoccupied bathhouses…
Looking down at the rear of the bathhouses in Hot Springs. Music bands used to play in this space to entertain guests.
Hot Spring National Park had two outdoor tours and 3 bathhouse/museum tours most days. We did two different indoor tours and one outside walking tour. As with most National Park docents, the tours were full of information that we could then supplement with information stations within the park, both inside and out. We enjoyed the hiking trails, and West Mountain Tower which also has a museum at the top.
This is the third Hot Springs Mountain Tower. One of the previous towers burned. But each time the tower was replaced, it got higher. This tower is 216′ high (and 306 stairs). There is an elevator as well. On the floor below the Observation Deck is a small museum. A great find!
Hot Springs is often considered the birthplace of spring training baseball. In 1886, Cap Anson brought his Chicago White Stockings (now the Cubs) to Hot Springs. There is a self guided baseball history tour you can take when visiting the area. (This is another downtown mural.)
Goat Rock … a park path that begins behind the Visitor Center … the park trails are definitely urban hiking trails but we enjoyed the sporadic informational placards we found along the way.
We love how murals make a city feel so energetic. This mural is on Central Avenue across from Bathhouse Row.
Bob & Deb's Full-time RV-ing Adventure 